Messer elected commission chair; Hawkins wants tax rate cut

Published: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 9:22 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 9:22 p.m.

During an organizational meeting that took less than an hour, county commissioners elected veteran board member Charlie Messer as their chairman Monday and chose outgoing chair Tommy Thompson as their vice chairman.

Prior to the election of officers, Chief District Court Judge Athena Brooks swore in Messer, who was re-elected in November to his fourth term representing the Fletcher/Hoopers Creek area, and new District 5 commissioner Grady Hawkins.

Asked by County Attorney Russ Burrell for nominations, Thompson suggested Messer and Hawkins gave the nod to Commissioner Larry Young. Young received two votes, while Messer received three. Thompson was nominated as vice chairman by Messer and won the post by a 5-0 vote.

"It's just an honor to serve again," said Messer in accepting the chairman's seat. "We're a team. We don't always agree, but we're a team. When we lay down at night, you've got five county commissioners and the staff and everyone working together to make Henderson County the best that it can be."

Hawkins, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and Vietnam-era command pilot, took the seat of retiring vice chairman Bill O'Connor. O'Connor was honored by his colleagues with a plaque thanking him for his service and by the county staff with a framed quotation from Teddy Roosevelt.

It's not Hawkins' first time serving on the Board of Commissioners, having represented the district in the late 1990s and early 2000s, chairing the board for four of those years.

"I look forward to working with my colleagues up here," Hawkins said. "We'll start our budget deliberations next month and I hope they'll join with me in suggesting that we depart by rolling our tax rate back to 50 cent on the hundred."

The current property tax rate in Henderson County is 51.36 cents per $100 valuation.

In an interview after the meeting, Hawkins said the county's most recent audit — which showed it raised $2.2 million more in revenues than predicted last fiscal year — indicates a tax cut could be achieved without affecting county services. He said the rate reduction would also help local businesses like General Electric create more jobs.

"People in our county are struggling and a tax rate cut helps everybody," Hawkins said. "We need to do that and try to spur our economy here and create jobs here."

Hawkins also recommended Monday that the board strike from its consent agenda a proclamation request from the county's Human Relations Council naming Dec. 10 as "Human Rights Day," as recognized by the United Nations 64 years ago. The move passed 4-0. Commissioner Mike Edney had to leave the meeting after new officers were elected.

"We have a perfect and succinct Declaration of Independence," Hawkins said. "We have a Constitution of the United States that very succinctly and clearly defines human rights. I can see no reason why we ought to water down those two documents with a proclamation from the United Nations. In fact, if we do anything, I would suggest that we contact the United Nations and ask them to adopt our Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence."

In other business, the commissioners:

• Presented a resolution of appreciation to outgoing Planning Director Anthony Starr, who will resign his position Dec. 13 to take a job as assistant executive director at Western Piedmont Council of Governments in Hickory.

"He's an absolutely wonderful resource and wealth of knowledge, information and ability and we're going to have a great loss here," said Thompson.

Starr said his six years with the county "have been the most fulfilling professional years I've had" in 20 years of public service.

• Approved $240,513 for four new deputy positions and four cruisers requested by Henderson County Sheriff Charlie McDonald. Two of the new deputies will work at the 1995 courthouse to enhance security there, one will work in the warrants section and the fourth will work in the Criminal Investigations Division. McDonald said the budget amendment approved by the board will bring the number of sworn officers to roughly 135, including jailers at the detention center.

• Awarded a $365,850 construction contract to T&K Utilities as the Cane Creek Water and Sewer District Board of Directors. Funded by a community block grant, the project will run water and sewer lines to Ferncliff Industrial Park, serving the Sierra Nevada brewery and any further industries that locate there.

<p>During an organizational meeting that took less than an hour, county commissioners elected veteran board member Charlie Messer as their chairman Monday and chose outgoing chair Tommy Thompson as their vice chairman. </p><p>Prior to the election of officers, Chief District Court Judge Athena Brooks swore in Messer, who was re-elected in November to his fourth term representing the Fletcher/Hoopers Creek area, and new District 5 commissioner Grady Hawkins.</p><p>Asked by County Attorney Russ Burrell for nominations, Thompson suggested Messer and Hawkins gave the nod to Commissioner Larry Young. Young received two votes, while Messer received three. Thompson was nominated as vice chairman by Messer and won the post by a 5-0 vote.</p><p>"It's just an honor to serve again," said Messer in accepting the chairman's seat. "We're a team. We don't always agree, but we're a team. When we lay down at night, you've got five county commissioners and the staff and everyone working together to make Henderson County the best that it can be."</p><p>Hawkins, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and Vietnam-era command pilot, took the seat of retiring vice chairman Bill O'Connor. O'Connor was honored by his colleagues with a plaque thanking him for his service and by the county staff with a framed quotation from Teddy Roosevelt.</p><p>It's not Hawkins' first time serving on the Board of Commissioners, having represented the district in the late 1990s and early 2000s, chairing the board for four of those years. </p><p>"I look forward to working with my colleagues up here," Hawkins said. "We'll start our budget deliberations next month and I hope they'll join with me in suggesting that we depart by rolling our tax rate back to 50 cent on the hundred."</p><p>The current property tax rate in Henderson County is 51.36 cents per $100 valuation.</p><p>In an interview after the meeting, Hawkins said the county's most recent audit — which showed it raised $2.2 million more in revenues than predicted last fiscal year — indicates a tax cut could be achieved without affecting county services. He said the rate reduction would also help local businesses like General Electric create more jobs.</p><p>"People in our county are struggling and a tax rate cut helps everybody," Hawkins said. "We need to do that and try to spur our economy here and create jobs here."</p><p>Hawkins also recommended Monday that the board strike from its consent agenda a proclamation request from the county's Human Relations Council naming Dec. 10 as "Human Rights Day," as recognized by the United Nations 64 years ago. The move passed 4-0. Commissioner Mike Edney had to leave the meeting after new officers were elected. </p><p>"We have a perfect and succinct Declaration of Independence," Hawkins said. "We have a Constitution of the United States that very succinctly and clearly defines human rights. I can see no reason why we ought to water down those two documents with a proclamation from the United Nations. In fact, if we do anything, I would suggest that we contact the United Nations and ask them to adopt our Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence." </p><p>In other business, the commissioners:</p><p>• Presented a resolution of appreciation to outgoing Planning Director Anthony Starr, who will resign his position Dec. 13 to take a job as assistant executive director at Western Piedmont Council of Governments in Hickory. </p><p>"He's an absolutely wonderful resource and wealth of knowledge, information and ability and we're going to have a great loss here," said Thompson. </p><p>Starr said his six years with the county "have been the most fulfilling professional years I've had" in 20 years of public service.</p><p>• Approved $240,513 for four new deputy positions and four cruisers requested by Henderson County Sheriff Charlie McDonald. Two of the new deputies will work at the 1995 courthouse to enhance security there, one will work in the warrants section and the fourth will work in the Criminal Investigations Division. McDonald said the budget amendment approved by the board will bring the number of sworn officers to roughly 135, including jailers at the detention center. </p><p>• Awarded a $365,850 construction contract to T&K Utilities as the Cane Creek Water and Sewer District Board of Directors. Funded by a community block grant, the project will run water and sewer lines to Ferncliff Industrial Park, serving the Sierra Nevada brewery and any further industries that locate there.</p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>